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Yiddish, and the rich literary output of the last century in Montreal when the language thrived here, has a new and unlikely champion. Chantal Ringuet, raised in Quebec City’s Charlesbourg suburb, never heard a word of Yiddish in that almost exclusively French environment. At the Ursuline school and Collège St-Charles-Garnier, […]

The tragic seniors residence fire in idyllic L’Isle Verte that claimed the lives of 32 seniors was an avoidable tragedy. All of Quebec’s elderly—not just those with reduced mobility and autonomy—deserve protection and care in their declining years. The men and women who perished deserved better, and what is shocking […]

Within the framework of Black History Month, the Black Theatre Workshop will present Jeff Stetson’s acclaimed one-act play The Meeting at the Segal Centre February 22-March 1. Written in 1987, the play explores an imagined conversation between Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, two of the most charismatic […]

This year’s Black History celebrations acquire a particular poignancy with the recent death of Nelson Mandela. In homage to the great human rights leader, the Round Table on Black History Month will present A Long Walk to Freedom, an exhibit that encompasses history, visual arts and education. The first […]

Imagine a gnarled willow tree “bursting into a million butterflies” and reappearing as origami. Think of “a shadow, so still—surrounded by teddy bears.” Have you ever felt “like an unread book,” or “like a cold day in Alaska”? Perhaps “like a star in space … lonely among many … small […]

Don’t postpone joy. That injunction is a guidepost for the partnership of violinist Luis Grinhauz and pianist Berta Rosenohl, in love and music and their life and work together. It is on the wall of their basement rehearsal space in their cozy Côte St. Luc townhouse, and it reflects the […]

We have just passed the centenary of the creation of the crossword puzzle. December 21, 1913, the New York World featured a new type of word puzzle constructed by journalist Arthur Wynne. Wynne’s puzzle differed from today’s crosswords in that it was diamond-shaped and contained no internal black squares. Wynne […]

We start with nothing. The pan is empty. The head often more so. The heart yearns for something, but what? The pan sits there on the burner. Stainless, immaculate. Tempting. It must be a pan and at least a hand’s breadth. So why not get out a pot? Ahh, but […]

Love is everywhere. Our October St. Viateur Bagel-o-thon took off like a rocket: Customers turned out in droves and in a few hours, 24,000 bagels sold, which can be equated to tons of love for hungry children. On a November morning, we travelled east to the La Stanza restaurant in […]

What better way to experience friendship or romance than a lovely vacation together? One December, friends purchased tickets from a local travel agent for a trip to London, England, where they would spend several days before travelling by train to Paris. They were scheduled to leave May 17. They reserved […]